


Just Like a Fairy Tale

by soft_princess



Category: Angel: the Series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)
Genre: Giles/Xander Octoberfest Challenge, M/M, Post-Episode: s07e22 Chosen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-11-05
Updated: 2007-11-05
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:54:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23132008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soft_princess/pseuds/soft_princess
Summary: Once upon a time, in a kingdom far away, good triumphed over evil. And they lived happily ever after. The end.
Relationships: Rupert Giles/Xander Harris





	Just Like a Fairy Tale

**"Once upon a time..."**

He doesn't _want_ this to happen. It's so not his style; it's way farther than left field. It's left field _in Tanzania_ , wherever that is (he's pretty good at guessing, and in his head, it's very _very_ far away). Xander can't think of a situation in which this would be _a good thing_.

Ignoring it doesn't work. Wishing it would go away isn't working any better. Talking about it to his friends is out of the question.

He can't, in no way, get rid of his completely ridiculous crush on the librarian. He's a _man_ , he's _old_ even, but... _damn_.

**"In a kingdom far away"**

"Tanzania?!"

That's what Xander said the moment Giles mentioned his first assignment. Then came the reassurance that wasn't really one: "I'll be going with you, of course." And then, to top it off: "There's a situation I should be monitoring while we're there."

Not that Xander isn't grateful for the company, but he could have done without the demon clan they had to keep an eye on "just in case."

_And that crush hasn't gone away in the last eight years either_. It makes working together a bit of a pain in the ass; and that's kind of an understatement.

**"Good triumphed over evil"**

In Xander's infinite wisdom, he celebrates the dismissal of the Grunt demon clan by grabbing Giles into a hug. Not a manly slap on the shoulder, or a good old handshake, no, a face-buried-in-Giles' shoulder kind of hug. Sure, they made demon pâté out of the clan, the "just in case" having turned into a full case of "baby killers in training," but that doesn't explain what Xander is doing _right this minute_.

Which happens to be _not pulling away fast enough_ , not pulling away _at all_ , even. Xander's settling there pretty comfortably, in fact.

Giles doesn't seem to mind.

**"And they lived happily ever after."**

There aren't any slayers in Tanzania. Giles mentions South Africa as Xander's second assignment, but Xander isn't listening. Instead, he's focusing on Giles' lips as they move. It's pathetic, it's _worse_ than pathetic: it's just _ridiculous_. But he can't stop.

"...rather discuss something else?"

"Huh?"

Giles smiles. He's not repeating what he just said though, and Xander isn't having any luck remembering a word of it either.

"Perhaps I should demonstrate?" Giles leans over and kisses Xander's lips.

_Oh_. Well, that's definitely something Xander can get behind, especially if it leads to more of the same. So he kisses back.

**"The end."**

They don't mention Xander's next assignment again, not even when they're back in England, having spent the last two days in Tanzania without once leaving their hotel room.

It looks like they might be getting their happy ending after all. Xander finds a job _not_ with the Council, because working for your long-term crush is one thing, but working for your lover/partner is completely different and a world of no. They make time for each other, and they don't think about the amount of time they spend in the bedroom.

Xander hates himself for thinking "it's like a fairy tale."


End file.
